Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-04-08
BEFORE THE WAR.
A REMlNlsceNcE OF LOUISIANA IN OLD
SLAVERY TIMES.

| the wear 1904. wealthy SlaNc-trader
named Bolts, Nirginian by birth, who
! lived in the garden suburbs of New Or
leans, and who owned slave kraal on
Common street. was suddenly stricken
with apopleXy and died without making
a will. The law requires that on the
death of any person of wealth, more OF
less. the Judge of the district court shall
then appoint a notary to take an inven-
tory of the property, together with a
curator. also an attorney to represent alb
sent heirs and two appraisers. After per-
forming the duties prescribed, the docu-
ment is signed by all the parties and sub
mitted to the Judge for homologaton.
Judge Kennedy, in the case of Bolts. APP
pointed Tom Howard. attorney to repre-
sent absent heirs, IA Mr.. Sewel curator
and two young French creoles appraiS-
ers. On receiving their appointments the
gentlemen in question visited the Office
and bank where Bolts had kept his de-.
posts and titles to slave property. and
then went in Il carriage to the residence
of the deceased. which was on the out
skirts of the city 1t was an elegant
Southern home, uncovered in all the
luxurious splendor of shrubbery, for
which Louisiana is known, its whole as
pect denoting opulence and luxury. As
the party alighted they were greeted with
the sounds of religious mnsic. one of
those magnificent requems for the dead,
sung by two female voices in Italian, and
so thetic and doleful. that with one
accord these men stood bareheaded till it
was ended, then advancing to the door
they knocked and were admitted by la
dy. tall and commanding of figure, cour-
teouS and graceful. dressed in deep
mourning. who had such an air of refine
! ment that they all were astonished that
Bolts should have been so fortunate as to
have secured such woman as his wife
, The notary briefly announced the bust
ness of the party and they were imme-
diately ushered into the spacious parlors.
After the house. ground. household fur
niture and effects had been examined,
, valued and approved, according to Gus
tom, the notary announced that their
business was terminated, ON which the
attorney for the absent heirs. Mr. How
l ard. who had been talking aside with the
curator, said that he desired to question
Mrs Bolts. which, of course. was his
legal right and duty. He asked: Are
you Mrs. Botts:" TO which she replied
D.. with Il bow. Continuing his questions,
. he said: Il don't want to distress YOU.
madam. but it j. necessary that you
i should show me your marriage certifi-
cate" At which the lady burst into an
agony of tear, that affected even these
e stern men of law. Ignoring the indgna-
b ton readable on the faces of his associ-
t ates, he continued: son my honor.
madam. have no wish to wound or pain
, you, but simply have a duty to perform,
= and must ask you, are you Il free wo-
man of color: and. if 50. show me your
free papers and end this most terrible and
unpleasant interview" There was no
: reply to this except renewed sobs and al
e most total aba>ement of the body. She
o was not the wife of Mr.. Bolts. nor had
she her free papers. All the gentlemen
u Withdrawing but the notary. she told her
II history, which was this: She was the
t daughter of Il wealthy Virginia planter
L and had been reared in luxury and sent
to France to complete her education. On
her return to her fathers house, ignOr-
o ant of her social status. she was received
y as the honored daughter of an ancestral
{ house. Her father, dying of paralysis,
was unable to perform what he had
promised her mother to do-furnish the
mother and their child free papers-and
O so left his unfortunate family Slaves in
fact and in law to the mercy of his rel
n atives, who came forward apparently in
dignant at the manner in which money
II had been spent on IA negro family" and
both mother and daughter were sold as
-, slaves. Bolts secured the daughter at
If the sale. and. becoming interested and
enamored with her, promised to make her
20 wife. She assented. simply because she
could do nothing else, the result of which
rs have shown YOU. The situation was so
- appalling and was so appreciated by the
- gentlemen appointed by the court that
re to the honor of the judge. this lady was
e promptly freed and sent North, with suf-
ficient money To make her comfortable
IF and beyond want.
u And this occurred in the United States
= the land of liberty, the home of the free
ROBERT NJ. FLOYD.
: Chicago, JAN II, 1881.
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